The present invention relates generally to a rotary indicating device in use, for example, for wheel covers of a motor vehicle, indication boards of advertising apparatus, ornamental elements for toys, and the like. More particularly the invention relates to a rotary indicating device which comprises a base member having an indication surface, the indication surface including an indicating region formed thereon and representing a desired image such as pictures, letters, marks and the like. The indication region is seen by an observer as a static visual image or moving image due to the after image phenomenon during the rotation of the base member.
Generally, the image formed on a rotary device is not able to be visually recognized by an observer as a clear image during the rotation of the rotary device. It will be readily seen that if such an image provided for the rotary device could be visually recognized by the observer as a clear image, it will produce an improved ornamental efficiency.
From the above viewpoint, there has been conventionally provided a rotary indicating device, namely a wheel cover in use for motor vehicles, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 133923/1974. The above wheel cover comprises a cover body, and an ornamental disc relatively rotatably mounted on the front surface of the body. The ornamental disc has a shaft concentrically extending from the rear surface thereof. The shaft passes through and is relatively rotatably supported by a journal mounted on the central portion of the body, and has, at its rear portion positioned beside the rear surface of the body, a weight for preventing the ornamental disc from rotating together with the body. Therefore, the image formed on the ornamental disc may be maintained in a static manner with respect to the cover body rotating together with the wheel of the vehicle, so that the image can be visually recognized by the observer who sees the advancing vehicle.
The known wheel cover as described above, however, has such disadvantages that it is complex in construction and can not produce a moving image.